Jack Allen's Big Band

    
 


 
 

MEMBERS OF JACK ALLEN'S BIG BAND

Click here to see the Jack Allen's Big Band Rememberane Page

TRUMPET PLAYERS

LEAD TRUMPET PLAYER:
Felix (Buddy) Colaneri

 One of Rochester's finest lead trumpet players.  Played with the Gene Krupa band and the Louis Prima band in his younger years.  Felix performs in and around the area with various other groups.
SECOND TRUMPET PLAYER:
Dan Fitzgerald		 One of the newest members of the band.  Dan also performs with the group "Brass Taxi" playing music of the 40's.  He enjoys Rock and playing Big Band charts.
THIRD TRUMPET PLAYER:
Dan Lempert		 Dan is a graduate of Fredonia Music School and Columbia University.  He studied the trumpet with William Vacchiano (Julliard) and also Dr. Donald Reinhardt (Brass Teacher) in Philadelphia, PA.  He taught vocal & instrumental music in all of East Rochester Schools for 30 years.  Dan retired in 1984 and enjoys playing Big Band music.
FOURTH TRUMPET
PLAYER & VOCALS:
Gene Taylor		 One of the original members of the Chick Edmond Band.  Gene had his own quartette/quintet under his name for 35-40 years.  He enjoys playing jazz and singing.

TROMBONE PLAYERS

LEAD TROMBONE PLAYER & JAZZ CHAIR:
Anthony Piazza		 Anthony was a leader of a Big Band while in college.  He studied law and graduated from Villanova College in Philadelphia.  Anthony is one of the newest members of the band and a prominent local attorney.  He always had a love for jazz music.
SECOND TROMBONE PLAYER :
Ray Shahin		 Ray graduated from the Fredonia Music College and the Eastman School.  He has a Bachelor's and a Master's Degree in Instrumental Music.  Ray taught Instrumental Music at Holley Central School from 1953-1965 and then took a position in directing the Bishop Kearney's High School band from 1965-1982.  From 1982-1992, he taught at Hilton High School.  He retired in 1992.  He spends his winters in Florida playing music with various groups and writing music.  When he returns to Rochester, he plays with various groups including Jack Allen's Big Band.  Ray is enjoying every minute of his retirement.
THIRD TROMBONE PLAYER:
Jeremy Green 		Jeremy was born in Detroit, has a BS in Music Education from Oakland University and a Masters in Music from Vandercook College in Chicago, IL. Jeremy has been playing the trombone for over 25 years. He has previously performed in One Beat Back in Detroit and the Chicago Businessman's Orchestra. Jeremy is currently a Music Teacher at Charlotte High School.

REED SECTION

LEAD ALTO & CLARINET:
Lou Signore		 Lou resides in Batavia, New York.  He led his own dance band in Batavia before joining the Chick Edmond Band.  Has 30 years experience in playing musicals.  He has performed in the Batavia area and also in the surrounding areas; is a former insurance underwriter who is now retired.
FIRST TENOR:
Rocky (Alan) Peters		 Rocky played sax in high school before entering the service.  He played sax in Europe with division bands after the service.  He then graduated from Julliard.  Also, went on tour for 2 years with the Dean Hudson Band playing the Southern States.  He his well known in the Rochester area.  Rocky played with the Monroe County Parks Band, the Ice Capades, the Shrine Circus, numerous name acts that came through Rochester and with various local groups.
SECOND ALTO & CLARINET:
Joseph Cardinale		 Joe has been an active musician all of his life.  He played with an army band while in the service; played all over the states with various traveling groups playing shows and dances.  Joe joined the band two years ago.  He is now retired from a successful Real Estate business (Cardinal Realty).
BARITONE SAX:
Thomas (Doc) Ashby		 Tom is a retired Doctor from the Wilson Center.  He has always had a love for music.  He played the Clarinet and Sax in high school in Idaho.  Even while practicing medicine, he found time to perform with the Chick Edmond Band.  He now plays for Jack Allen's Big Band, the Penfield Rotary Jazz Band and the New Horizon Band.
Tenor, Alto, Clarinet & Flute:
Val Anazalone 		Val is a graduate of Fredonia State College. He has a masters degree from Eastman School and has a performance certificate. Val is a retired music teacher (band & orchestra) from Pittsford High School. He taugth there 38 years. He is enjoying his retirement with Jack's band along with performing with other local groups in and around the area.

RHYTHM SECTION

KEY BOARDS:
Merle Hirsch 		I have been playing piano since 1940, when I started taking lessons in elementary school in Pittsburgh, PA. I have studied with several private teachers since then, as well as at the Turtle Bay Music School in New YOrk, the University of Minnesota, Morris, and am currently doing a jazz piano master class at the Hochstein School on Music, where I study with Richard Delaney. In Rochester, NY, I have played with the Gateswingers Big Band, The Greater Rochester Jazz Orchestra, and am currently a member of the Jack Allen's Big Band, and a small combo group known as Sweetie Pie. In my other life, I have a PH. D in physics from the Johns Hopkins University, and currently teach physics, chemistry, and biology at the Rochester Institute of Technology and at the American University in Kosovo. I have also taught at the University of Minnesota, Morris, SUNY Brockport, and the University of Rochester.
STRING BASS:
Robert (Bob) DeRosa		 Bob DeRosa started playing string bass in 1993 at age 42. In addition to his duties with Jack Allen's Big Band, he is the founding bassist of the Greater Rochester Jazz Orchestra and the Maggie Mullen Quartet. During the day, Bob is vice president of Windsor Street Design Associates (www.wsda.com), a graphic design firm. He also co-owns the Tritone Jazz Fantasy Camps (www.tritonejazz.com), week-long summer jazz experiences for adult jazz musicians.
DRUMS:
Tom Powell		 Tom is retired from Rochester Gas & Electric where he was the manager of Loss Prevention.  He is the newest member of the band.  Tom is a Rochester native and lives in Pittsford.  He has played drums since grade school, through high school and college in bands and orchestras.  He played in the RG&E Big Band under the leadership of Jack End, Don Jones and Tedo D'Aurlzio.  He is the senior snare drummer in the Pittsford Fire Department Band which holds many New York State championships.  Tom also plays percussion in the Honeoye Falls Community Concert Band.
VOCALIST:
Carol Testa		 Carol majored in Performing Arts and is a Performing Arts Teacher for the Rochester City School District (School #44).  She has been with Jack Allen's Big Band for four years.

SUBSTITUTES

DRUMS:
John Beck		 John is a prominent percussionist teacher at the Eastman School of Music.  He retired from the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra a few years ago after many years of performing at concerts and other functions.  John enjoys playing engagements with big bands and combos.
BASS TROMBONE:
Harry Slanton 		Harry is a retired Instrumental Music Teacher for the Webster School District.
TRUMPET:
Chris Melito		 Chris loves music and was well known as Detective Melito in the City of Rochester.  He is now retired and enjoying the time he gets to spend listening & playing music.

 

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